More And More Women Are Buying Guns — Here's Why

NRA Women's Network
Many people assume that "every shooter in the United States is a 50-year-old white guy," quips Natalie Foster of the website "The Girl's Guide to Guns."

Many people are wrong.

The number of women who owned guns spiked to 23% in 2011, compared to 13% in a 2005 Gallup poll. While the organization hasn't released updated statistics yet, most think the rates will continue to rise.

But who are these women, and why are they choosing to arm themselves?

Self-Defense and Independence

The average woman is not as strong as the average man. In a hand-to-hand struggle, even if she goes to the gym five times a week, the woman is probably going to lose.

Unless she has a gun, and knows how to use it.

"There's a famous quote…[that] goes, 'God made men, but Sam Colt made [them] equal,'" Jason Hanson, a former CIA Officer and the author of "The Covert Guide to Concealed Carry," told TheBlaze. "A great example of this is when a few months back, [an] 18-year girl in Oklahoma used a shotgun to stop a home intruder who had a knife. The bottom line is, a gun is without a doubt the best way for a woman to defend herself in a worst-case scenario."

Kirsten C. Tynan, who describes herself as a "pro-self defense feminist," added in an email:

Whether I am in a high crime area, car camping alone on a road trip, or hiking solo in bear country, carrying a firearm gives me another tool to ensure my own safety without having to depend on someone else. It opens up more opportunities for me because I don't feel I have to have a partner by my side for my protection.

And Foster of "A Girl's Guide to Guns" summarizes the mentality of "the emerging female shooter":

…Shooting gives us a sense of equality, a sense of safety, a sense of being in control of ourselves. That sense of control is empowering, and is something we should seek in other aspects of our life. This, along with the "tough woman" image of shooting guns, gives us a more positive self-image, which is a powerful thing.

…Since I started shooting I've taken up weight-lifting and started studying nutrition and trying to eat right. It has made a huge difference in my self-esteem and helped me to realize the extent of control I have over myself, much as shooting does. I would encourage every woman shooter not to stop there, but to continue to step outside of her comfort zone and find other activities that energize and empower her to be the best she can.